Vice Chairman Quigley Statement at Subcommittee Markup of Fiscal Year 2023 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Funding Bill
Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL), Vice Chair of the Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee's markup of its fiscal year 2022 bill:
Welcome to the fiscal year 2023 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development markup.
Before we begin our work on this bill today, I would like to take a moment to express a shared sadness for Chairman Price after the loss of his wife, Lisa Price, today. His leadership on this bill and subcommittee is not only a reflection of his commitment to the American people and furthering our nation’s transportation and housing, but those back home in his District, including his beloved wife and family. We are thinking of him during this time and extend our support to him.
I am proud to introduce on his behalf, a bill that makes clear his commitment to advocating for civil rights, environmental protections, and safer communities. Something we know his wife would also be proud of.
I am joined by my good friend Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, the Ranking Member, who is here in person today. I also want to welcome the Full Committee Chair, Ms. DeLauro, Ranking Member Granger, and all of the Subcommittee Members who are here in person and those participating by secure video teleconference.
Today the subcommittee will mark up the fiscal year 2023 transportation and housing bill.
Before I talk about some of the bill’s highlights, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge Chairman Price and thank him for his steady leadership on this Subcommittee. It has been a tremendous honor to work alongside him and I know his impact will be felt long after this year.
I’d also like to thank Ranking Member Diaz-Balart for his collaboration throughout this process, Chair of the Full Committee, Ms. DeLauro, for her tremendous leadership and stewardship of this Committee, the Committee’s distinguished Ranking Member Ms. Granger, all members of this subcommittee from both sides of the aisle who contributed their ideas to help shape this bill, and the hardworking subcommittee staff who put this bill together.
The bill we have before us today represents our commitment to the American people. The funding provided in this bill will improve transportation safety, address our nation’s affordable housing and homelessness crisis, and protect vulnerable populations—especially those most likely to have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including communities of color, the unhoused, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
In total, the bill includes $90.9 billion in discretionary funding, an increase of $9.9 billion over the fiscal year 2022 level.
On the transportation side, the bill provides a total of $105.4 billion in budgetary resources for DOT, an increase of $2.4 billion over the fiscal year 2022 level, reflecting our continued commitment to modernization and safety across all modes of transportation.
In line with the historic investment Congress made in our nation’s transportation infrastructure last year through the IIJA, the bill fully funds authorized levels for transit, highway, and safety formula grant programs.
The bill also provides $646 million for Transit Infrastructure Grants to help transit agencies purchase low and no emission buses, improve urban and rural ferry systems, adopt innovative approaches to mobility, and carry out local projects funded by member requests.
The bill also includes $3 billion for Capital Investment Grants, an increase of $764 million over fiscal year 2022. This funding will help create new transit routes nationwide. I know for my own city, Chicago, we have been able to successfully use this program to transform our train and bus services and thanks to IIJA we are able complete funding for an ongoing project to modernize our red and purple lines. This program will be key to continuing to improve and expand the Chicago Transit Authority’s systems.
To help people safely connect to work, school, doctor’s appointments and other critical services, the bill provides $100 million for the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program, which will assist communities with developing their transportation networks to improve transportation access for all, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Along the same lines, the bill provides $55 million for the Healthy Streets Program to reduce our carbon footprint and make roadways safer for bus riders and pedestrians in low-income communities faced with extreme heat or other weather conditions.
The bill takes great strides to invest in our nation’s housing stock, and the people who count on Federal support for safe and stable housing. The bill provides $62.7 billion for HUD, an increase of $8.9 billion above fiscal year 2022.
Notably, the bill includes $600 million for the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program to protect housing and services for more than 75,000 low-income people living with HIV or AIDS.
This is an increase of $150 million (or 33 percent) above the fiscal year 2022 level and $145 million above the President’s budget request to ensure that no individual in this vulnerable population loses access to housing in fiscal year 2023.
I have long advocated for greater funding to support people living with HIV or AIDS, and am pleased to see this reflected in the bill.
The bill provides $1.7 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program to construct new affordable housing, and includes $50 million for a new down payment assistance program to help first-time, first-generation home buyers purchase a home and help narrow the wealth gap.
While we have seen a decline in sheltered homelessness from 2021 to 2022, the bill continues our commitment to reducing incidences and the scale of homelessness by making common sense investments. This includes $3.6 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants, including dedicated support for survivors of domestic violence and youth facing or experiencing homelessness, and $1.1 billion to help more than 140,000 individuals and families get off lengthy wait lists and into housing.
Finally, I am proud to share the investment that this bill makes in a cleaner, brighter future for all. Combined, the bill provides over $2.6 billion in resources across many programs to address the pressing threat of climate change, make our country’s transportation and housing infrastructure more resilient, and take bold steps towards equity.
I am very pleased with how this bill will improve the lives of countless individuals across the country. We are taking action to expand safe and affordable housing and build equitable transportation networks throughout the nation.
I look forward to discussing these issues and more in the coming days.